Regular coffee consumption increases the number of potentially beneficial bacteria L. asaccharolyticus in the intestines. This conclusion was reached by researchers from the University of Washington Medical School. The results of the study were published in the journal Nature Microbiology, as reported by Tengri Life, referencing Gazeta.Ru.
The study involved approximately 77,000 participants from various countries around the world. In the first phase, volunteers were asked to provide information about their diet. The researchers were particularly interested in coffee consumption habits. Subsequently, the scientists requested stool samples from the volunteers to analyze the composition of their gut microbiota.
By comparing the gut microbiome data of coffee drinkers and non-drinkers, the researchers discovered significant differences. Individuals who regularly consumed coffee had levels of the bacterium Lawsonibacter asaccharolyticus that were eight times higher than those who avoided coffee. This pattern was observed among study participants regardless of their region of residence.
Currently, scientists are unsure how the elevated levels of L. asaccharolyticus might affect human health. Nevertheless, they speculate that this phenomenon may be linked to the positive effects of coffee on the body, which has long been noted in scientific research.
Earlier, researchers found that instant coffee accelerates aging by affecting the length of telomeres—the segments that cap chromosomes. In contrast, coffee made from ground beans does not lead to such effects.